Please check wikianswer for most popular browser.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/
Main Topics
Browse All TopicsWe have an outside company that is creating a website for us and they have recently told us that the site will require Firefox or IE8 to work "optimally". Can someone explain the reasons why that would be and is that unusual?
This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.
Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.
If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.
Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.
Access the answers to your technology questions today.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Try it out and discover for yourself.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.
Please check wikianswer for most popular browser.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/
That sounds mad unless you can guarentee all the people looking at your site are on IE8 or Firefox. Any webdesigner should ensure that a website will be compatible accross the majority of platforms, IE5 through to IE8, Opera, Firefox, Netscape and Safari etc. If not you will have a lot of users not being able to see it.
If it is just for your company then fair enough, but i wouldn't be held to that narrow criteria.
Ok, they are probably using some functionality to visual effect your site that will not be supported by earlier browsers. It is common for sites that use special visual effects.
Anyway it would be fare that they include support for earlier browsers where site is run in sort of "safe mode" when entered with a primitive browser.
A proper announcement of this that it would be preferable if the site was displayed with a more up to date browser should be posted though or visitors should have the opportunity to skip some java and visual effects "skip the fun" if the choose to.
'Optimally' is a good way to say it actually. They aren't saying it won't work at all in other browsers.
Each browser implements the WC3 standards to a varying degree. It sounds llike the company is trying to use some advanced features of it such that the web experience will be greatest if those two browsers are used.
That is a problem with web development. It's a balancing act between using newer technology and making the experience good for the largest number of people.
Just ask the question directly. "What happens if a user doesn;t use on of those two browsers"
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: MushqPosted on 2009-08-07 at 08:34:52ID: 25043865
There are couple of reasons:
1. They have tested that website with only Firefox and IE 8.
Both these are most popular browser. Hopefully this would be helpful.
Regards,
Mushi